How You and Your Family Can Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Abstract

Reducing our carbon footprint is an important way that we can cut back our greenhouse gas emissions. There are a number of carbon calculators that consider a range of greenhouse gases we produce and convert them into a single carbon equivalent based upon data we input. Using this number, we can set goals for reductions. In our home, the key sources of greenhouse gases are home heating and cooling, water heating, and general electricity use. Outside of the home, our transportation choices are responsible for another major source. In addition, we produce a significant amount of secondary greenhouse gases through our food use and waste production. Suggestions are made as to how we can make simple, hard and/or expensive, and innovative or life-changing choices to reduce our personal carbon footprint in our home, via our transportation choices, and through how we manage our food and waste.